This invention relates to an improved composition for cleaning and protecting various textile fibers and fabrics, and hard surfaces and coatings. The invention also includes a method for using the improved composition for its intended purpose in one application.
A variety of products are known which relate to various compositions for treating fibrous materials for a number of purposes, including cleaning, and/or applying a protective coating to make them water repellent and/or stain resistant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,833 to Somerville discloses a composition for treating fibrous materials to make them water repellent. The composition includes a methylpolysiloxane fluid, an orgamotin oxide, and a metal octoate. The treatment medium can be in the form of an aqueous emulsion, or a solution in an organic solvent such as toluene, acetone, white spirits, isopropanol, and the like. Once the fabric or paper has been contacted with the siloxane composition, the temperature is raised to a temperature not greater than 150.degree. C. to cure the polysiloxane. The coating obtained is supposed to be durable to laundering, solvent rinsing, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,807,601 to Dennet relates to an orgamo-silicon composition useful in treating organic fabrics with hydroxylated siloxane compositions to provide water repellency to fabrics along with resistance to grease spotting and solvent spotting, and shrinking of wool during laundering. The organo-silicon compositions are applied to fabrics in amounts such that the "pick up" ranges from 0.1 to 5 percent, and can be applied in any desired manner such as by dipping or spraying, or in the form of solutions or emulsions. After application of the organo-silicon compositions, the fabric is heated to remove any solvent or water and to cure the siloxane. The heating temperatures vary from 100.degree.-475.degree. F. for periods of from 5 seconds to one hour. Curing catalysts such as zinc or iron octoate, lead-2-ethylhexoate, and the like, can be employed to aid in the curing of the siloxane. The siloxane composition can be employed in suitable solvent media such as benzene, toluene, and petroleum hydrocarbons.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,236 to Quaal discloses the use of siloxane copolymers to impart water repellency to various substrates such as fabrics, paper, glass, leather, wood and masonry. The siloxane copolymer is generally applied in a solvent solution using such organic solvents as toulene, perchloroethylene, hexane, acetone, isopropanol, ethanol, and methanol. The siloxane copolymer can also be applied to fabrics from aqueous emulsions or by means of aerosol application. In instances where the siloxane copolymers are applied to fabrics, curing is accomplished with a catalyst at temperatures of 30.degree.-260.degree. C. and the fabric's water repellency is supposed to last through several washings. Suitable catalysts include metal carboxylates, such as zinc ocoate.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,927,870 to Beutler discloses the treatment of fabrics of synthetic and natural fiber origin with organosiloxane emulsions containing catalysts, to provide water repellency. The composition uses a combination of zirconium acetate and zinc acetate as catalysts in organo-siloxane emulsion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,418,162 to Adachi discloses a composition and process for manufacturing waterproof cloth with a composition that includes organo-polysiloxanes, aminoalkyloxysilanes, an organotin compound, and an organic catalyst. The treated waterproof cloth is supposed to have a coating of silicone resin which is not attached by organic solvents such as trichloroethylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,158 to Wada et al discloses a method for making various articles, including fabrics, water-repellent by applying a metallic compound in admixture with a catalyst such as zinc acetate or zinc formate in combination with a polysiloxane. The treated articles are allowed to dry for a day or two at room temperature, presumably to effect a cure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,850 to Sell discloses a method for making textile fabrics water repellent by treating with a polymerizable silicone material and a zirconium salt of an organic acid. The composition can be applied in the form of an emulsion with the assistance of various organic solvents.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,418 to Gibbon et al discloses organo-silicon compositions for depositing films on paper and other materials. The composition includes a linear organo-polysiloxane, a tin salt of a carboxylic acid, an organic solvent, and water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,436,252 to Neuroth discloses a release composition for paper comprising a linear organo-polysiloxane, a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, and various organic solvents.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,544 to de Monterey et al discloses a method for making paper and paper products non-adherent to normally adherent materials, such as tars, waxes, pastes, and the like, by means of treating the paper products with a polysiloxane composition containing a polyvinyl alcohol emulsifying agent and dibutyl tin laurate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,762 to Deiner et al discloses a method for improving the slipping resistance and delustering of textiles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,427 to Tsuruta et al discloses a process for waterproofing fabrics with organo-polysiloxanes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,990 to Goodman, et al discloses a composition and method for cleaning and protecting various substrates with said composition wherein said composition comprises a solution of an admixture of poly(methylhydrosiloxane), zinc octoate and tin octoate in a solvent consisting of 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane.
However, said composition suffers in that the solvent 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane is considered to have some toxicological and dermatitic properties, has a relatively unpleasant odor, causes smearing on some substrate surfaces and dissolves, or at least attacks, other substrates such as poly(vinyl chloride), e.g. in phonograph discs, paints and acrylics.
It has now been found, in accordance with this invention, that the above substrates may be cleaned and protected, without the concommitant disadvantages indicated above for the prior art compositions, by using the improved cleaning and protecting composition of the instant invention.